Hammond city employees could soon be eligible for a retirement incentive. Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. wants to offer a buyout of one thousand dollars per year of employment to workers in the civil city.
"The people that are taking the buyout are some of our highest-paid employees with the most vacation, the most seniority — the most expensive employees — and in replacement of these employees are the younger employees with less seniority and less vacation. They'll be at work more often," McDermott told the city council last week.
He said most department heads and higher-level workers would be replaced, but that process could free up some lower-level positions that could be eliminated. If the city council gives its final approval on September 12, eligible employees would have until the end of September to take the buyout.
"We haven't offered a buyout in the city of Hammond since 2017, so we don't offer these all the time. I'm telling the employees there ain't no guarantees in life. This may not be offered ever again," McDermott added.
The mayor said employees in the sanitary district and water department would not be eligible, since the city can't afford to lose certified water handlers. Housing and port authority employees are also ineligible.
